And the Cradle Will Rock
by SoxGirl18
Summary: Johnny's dad just got out of jail after four and a half years. Can Johnny forgive his dad for the past and let him back into his life?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own Degrassi or the song "And the Cradle Will Rock" by Van Halen. This story picks up where "Come on Feel the Noise" left off. Those of you who read my other stories already know why Johnny's dad was in jail. Those of you who didn't will have to wait until the next chapter. **

**Despite the fact that the title contains the word cradle, there are no babies in this story.  
**

* * *

"_Well, they say its kind of frightening how this younger generation swings." And the Cradle Will Rock, Van Halen 1983_

**And the Cradle Will Rock**

**Chapter 1**

It was Saturday morning and Johnny DiMarco was sleeping in. He didn't have to show up for work at The Dot until 3PM and he wanted to make the most of the extra time he didn't get on school days. Saturday was Johnny's day.

During the week, everyone at the group home ate their meals together and they all ate the same thing. Weekends were the time when residents could bring in their own food and keep it in the kitchen as long as it was labeled accordingly.

In the freezer, there was a box of frozen blueberry waffles with his name on it. Literally.

But until 1:00, he wasn't getting out of bed for anything or anyone. Or so he thought.

"Hey Johnny," he heard KC's voice say. He threw the covers off his face and looked up at his roommate standing over him. KC was dressed in sweats and holding a basketball.

"When are you planning on getting up?" he asked.

"Later" said Johnny and he threw the covers back over his face.

"Okay, man," laughed KC. "Just make sure you're not late for work."

"I know _mom_," Johnny mumbled. "My alarm's set for 1 o'clock." KC laughed again and left the room.

About fifteen minutes later there was a knock on the door.

"Hey Johnny!" called a voice on the other side.

"Yeah?" he groaned. The door opened and Cory, another resident, poked his head in. He was holding a box of frozen blueberry waffles with **JOHNNY** written on it in black magic marker.

"Can I have some of your waffles?" Cory asked.

"You can have two," replied Johnny, holding up two fingers.

"Thanks, man," replied Cory.

"Just close the door on your way out, please," Johnny grumbled. Cory closed the door.

Within five minutes after Cory left, there was another knock at the door.

_Why won't anybody let me sleep? _thought Johnny.

"What!" he bellowed from under the covers. Johnny's counselor, Eddie, poked his head in.

"You have a phone call, Johnny," he said.

"Can't you take a message?" groaned Johnny. "I can call them back later."

"This one came on the phone in my office," said Eddie. "You're gonna want to take it."

Johnny threw off his covers and sat up.

Personal calls for the residents came on the pay phones in the hallway. Any call that came to the counselors' offices were from school, family, the cops or the probation officer. So this was a big deal.

Johnny was officially awake now.

Still in his boxers and wife beater, Johnny followed Eddie down the hall. A few residents stared at the two, wondering what kind of trouble Johnny was in.

Once inside Eddie's office, Johnny took a seat. Eddie took the call off hold and handed the phone to him.

"Hello," said Johnny apprehensively. His heart was beating fast.

"Hello, John," said a familiar voice Johnny hadn't heard in years. "How are you, my boy?"

"Hey, dad," said Johnny.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I want to thank Ana and Benny for their reviews of the first chapter. Ana, you give great, well thought out feedback. And Benny, I'm glad you are a fan. It's reviews like these that keep me going. Thank you both!**

**For those of you who didn't read my previous stories, you finally get to find out why Johnny's dad was in jail.**

**Chapter 2**

"Listen, son," Tony DiMarco began nervously. "I, ah, just got out of jail..."

"But wasn't your sentence for ten years, with possibility for parole in five?" asked Johnny, "It hasn't been five years yet."

"I know," replied Tony. "I got early release. You know, time off for good behavior." He chuckled nervously.

Tony was arrested for drug possession when Johnny was in grade eight. That was four and half years ago. He explained to his son that he had been a model prisoner. He kept to himself and stayed out of trouble. Those two things, plus the fact that it was his first criminal offense ever, helped him get released early.

"Was there a hearing?" asked Johnny.

He could understand if his dad hadn't tried to contact him if there had been a hearing. The last time Johnny saw his dad was shortly after he was sentenced. He had gone with his mom to visit his dad in jail during the summer between grades eight and nine. Johnny refused to speak to his dad or even look at him.

"Yeah," Tony replied awkwardly. "Shortly after your mom passed. I tried calling the house but the phone was disconnected."

That would've been when Johnny got evicted and was living in his car. After he moved into the group home, he contacted his dad's friend, Jose, to let him know where he was. Jose, in turn, relayed the information to Tony.

"Look, John," said Tony. "I was wondering if you wanted to come get dinner with me some time next week."

"Um, sure," said Johnny apprehensively. "I'm off Wednesday night." He wasn't sure if he really wanted to see his dad, but he didn't want to be rude.

There was a twenty minute time limit for residents to talk on the counselors' phones. Eddie signalled to Johnny to wrap it up.

"I gotta go," Johnny told his dad. "I'm in my counselor's office and he needs me to get off the phone."

"Sure, son," said Tony. "Let me give you my new phone number and you can call me Tuesday, okay?"

Before saying goodbye, Tony gave his number to Johnny and Johnny copied it down.

After leaving Eddie's office, Johnny showered and got dressed. There was no use trying to go back to sleep now. He then went into the kitchen, prepared two blueberry waffles and sat down to eat them. After taking a bite out of one, he decided not to finish them. Blueberry waffles were one of Johnny's favorite breakfast foods, yet today they just didn't taste the same.

He threw the waffles in the garbage and took the box out the freezer. Taking the black magic marker that was attached to the side of the freezer, he scribbled out his name. Flipping the box over, he wrote **FAIR GAME** on it before putting it back.

At work, Spinner noticed that Johnny's mind was elsewhere. Usually, he was on top of things, but tonight, he dropped a couple dishes, ran into Holly J twice and forgot the silverware at four tables.

"Hey Johnny," Spinner called out as Johnny took the bus pan back to the kitchen. "Why don't you take a break?"

"Can't Spin," replied Johnny. "There's a ton of dishes back there that need washing."

"Seriously dude, you've been working like a dog. Take a break and come talk to me."

Johnny sighed heavily, took the bus pan to the kitchen, then came back out front and sat with Spinner at the counter.

"Look, man," said Spinner. "You know you're one of my best employees, but tonight, it's like you're in your own little world. Are you okay?"

"I got a call from my dad this morning," said Johnny.

"Okay," said Spinner. He knew Johnny's dad had been in jail because Jane had told him. But he didn't think it was appropriate to tell Johnny at that moment.

"I haven't seen him in nearly five years, Spin,"said Johnny. "He just got out of jail."

"I know," admitted Spinner. "Jane told me he was convicted of drug possession." Johnny nodded.

"Yeah," said Johnny. "She and I were still really good friends at the time it happened."

"So, are you going to go live with him?" asked Spinner. He didn't know what else to say.

"I don't know,"replied Johnny. "The subject hasn't come up yet. We're supposed to get together for dinner on Wednesday."

"How do you feel about that?" asked Spinner. "Did you miss him?" Johnny took a minute to think about it.

"Yes and no,"he said. "I mean, he's my dad. But what he did was so stupid and selfish and he left me and my mom alone. She died a few months ago and that's one of the many reasons I'm living at Covington House."

"Yeah, Jane mentioned your mom's death also," said Spin. Johnny sighed heavily.

"Well," said Johnny, standing up. "Those dishes aren't gonna wash themselves."

"Are you gonna be okay?" asked Spinner.

"Of course," said Johnny with his trademark grin. "If there's one thing I've learned over the past four and a half years, it's how to suck it up and persevere." Spinner chuckled.

"Okay dude," he said. "But if you change you mind and you wanna leave early, let me know." Johnny nodded.

The rest of the shift went by without a hitch. Johnny figured it must have done some good to talk about this morning's phone call with someone. Eddie had tried to talk to him afterwards, but he wasn't ready to talk at the time.

Usually when Johnny came home after a long weekend shift, he was exhausted. But that wasn't the case tonight. KC was already fast asleep. Johnny had trouble falling asleep, he kept thinking about his dad.

Although he was angry at his dad, deep down inside, he still loved him and missed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I know the actor who plays Johnny cut his hair recently and that he doesn't have pierced ears, but in _my_ Degrassiverse, his hair is still long and his ears are pierced. **

**Also, Corso Italia and Little Italy are two actual neighborhoods in Toronto, even though the restaurants, Pasquale's and Ristorante Sofia are fictional. **

**Chapter 4**

Johnny stood in the entry of Pasquale's in Little Italy. Although the restaurant was more hip and trendy than its older, more traditional counterpart, Ristorante Sofia, in Corso Italia, he still felt out of place.

Dressed in a vintage military jacket. A black, skull emblazoned workman's cap, black cargo pants and Doc Martens, plus he had a tiny gold hoop in each ear, he definitely drew the attention of the patrons dressed in party wear.

But if the clothes were enough to draw attention, his hair made him stand out of even more. Instead of being dark brown or black like that of the rest of the DiMarco clan, Johnny's hair was blonde. And who could miss those long curls?

He ignored the stares and scanned the dining area for his father. Not that he would know what Tony looked like after all these years.

"Johnny?" called a female voice. He turned to see a woman in her early twenties dressed in a white blouse and a black skirt. She reminded Johnny a little of Ashley Kerwin, that pop star wannabe from Degassi.

"Don't you remember me?" she asked, giggling softly. "I'm your cousin, Celeste. Uncle Wally's daughter."

"Right," chuckled Johnny nervously. "How are you?" He felt awkward talking to this girl, although she was related to him. But he hadn't seen her since his Nonna Sofia's funeral nine years ago. She would have been around twelve then.

Celeste's father, Pasquale, was Tony's oldest brother and one of Giovanni DiMarco's good sons. Like his other son, Sergio, he married a nice Italian Canadian girl and went into the family business.

Anthony, the youngest and the rebel of the family, didn't want to go into the restaurant business. He wanted to be a musician. His also married a poor Polish immigrant. Giovanni refused to have anything to do with him. Wally, Sergio and their families didn't talk to him either.

His mother, Sofia, Johnny's grandmother, was the only member of his father's family that Johnny had ever interacted with. She used to come by every Christmas, Easter or on Johnny's birthday. The neighbors stared when her black Cadillac came down the street, with Miss Sofia in the back seat and her driver in the front.

She would bring elaborate cakes and presents for Johnny. After fussing over him for a bit, she would stay just long enough to argue with Tony and ignore Halina, Johnny's mom.

"Come with me," Celeste said to Johnny. "Your dad's in the back room, waiting for you."

Johnny followed Celeste past the staring patrons. Although he avoided their gaze, he felt their eyes on him. When he and Celeste entered the back room, he saw his dad for the first time in nearly five years. Tony stood up, walked over to his son and extended his hand.

"I'm glad yo could make it John," he said. Johnny shook his hand awkwardly.

"Thank you," Johnny replied shyly.

"Your hair got long," Tony observed.

"Public school will do that to ya, I guess," said Johnny. "What happened to the 'stache?"

"Prison will do that to ya, I guess," Tony said, smiling. They both laughed.

Although Johnny had hanged quite a bit since his father's arrest and conviction, Tony really hadn't changed much. Aside from shaving off his mustache, he look pretty much the same.

The people Johnny knew who had seen the Whiskey River CD cover thought Tony resembled Chris Cornell from Soundgarden and Audioslave. Johnny supposed they were right.

While Johnny had inherited Halina's. blonde hair and blue eyes, he inherited Tony's chiseled features and wiry athletic build. Celeste looked from one to the other.

"Well, why don't you two sit down and Van will be in to take your order," she said nervously.

"Thank you, Celeste," said Tony before she left the room. He and Johnny sat down crossways from each other at the long table. Shortly, Celeste's brother, Van, came in. He was dressed in a white dress shirt and black slacks.

Van's real name was Giovanni Giorgio, after his grandfather. Johnny's uncle, Sergio, had a son with the same name, but he was called Gino. Johnny was supposed to have been given that name too. However, Halina thought it was too long and foreign sounding. So, at her insistence, he was given the English equivalent of John George. This gave the DiMarco clan one more reason to dislike her.

"Good evening Uncle Tony, Cousin John," Van said nervously. He was very tall and skinny and had dark curly hair like Tony. He was fifteen the last time Johnny saw him.

"Evening Van," said Tony. "I'm ready to order but I don't know about John." Tony and Van looked at Johnny.

"Um, I don't have a menu," Johnny said awkwardly.

"No problem," Van said, smiling. "Order whatever you want on the house." Johnny was shocked and suspicious.

"Seriously?" asked Johnny.

"Go ahead, John," said Tony.

"No, you go first," said Johnny.

"Okay, I'll have the shrimp scampi," Tony told Van. Johnny had heard of shrimp scampi but didn't really know what that was.

Uh, do you have ravioli?" Johnny asked. Johnny's knowledge of Italian food was very minimal. The only time he ever ate it was at Lucas', Nic's and Bruce's houses, and on feast days at church. That only included basic pasta dishes. There was also pizza and Italian beef and Italian sausage sandwiches at the Break Room, but he doubted this place had pizza or sandwiches.

"Of course we do," said Van. "What kind would you like?"

"There's more than one kind?" said Johnny, dumbfounded.

"You can have ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese, Italian sausage or spinach. Or you can have a little bit of each."

"Um, I'll have the sausage one."

"Okay, one shrimp scampi and one sausage ravioli, said Van, writing on a little pad of paper. "Anything to drink?"

"I'll have a Birra Moretti," said Tony.

_A what? _thought Johnny.

"Could I get a Coke if you have it?" Johnny said.

"Yes, we certainly do have Coke," Van chuckled. Johnny was glad to hear that.

"Could we have some bruschetta, too please?" asked Tony. That was another thing Johnny had heard of but didn't know what it was.

When the food arrived, Johnny wasn't impressed. Tony's shrimp scampi turned out to be just jumbo shrimp and the bruschetta was the same thing as the Cheesy Bread at Domino's. The Birra Moretti was just a bottle of beer with a picture of a Mafia guy on the label.

The ravioli was good, though. Better than anything Chef Boy-ar-dee could come up with.

"So, where you staying?" Johnny asked.

"I'm staying with Jose for a while until I get my own place," said Tony.

"What are you doing for money?"

"Jose gave me a job in his shop as a daytime sales associate and at night, I work here as a dishwasher," explained Tony.

"Doing anything with your music?" asked Johnny.

"Aside from messing around on the kit in the shop window, no," Tony said. "But enough about me, what's up with you?"

"Well, I work at a restaurant, too," Johnny told his dad." As a dishwasher slash bus boy." Tony laughed.

"And of course, there's school," said Johnny smirking. "Still making honor roll."

"That's my boy," said Tony.

"Oh, I'm in a band with some kids from school. I'm the drummer."

Tony beamed.

"Well that's great to hear," he said. "Any gigs yet?"

"There's this Battle of the Bands thing coming up." said Johnny. "At the club above the restaurant where I work. It's next Saturday."

"I'd really like to see that," said Tony. This made Johnny feel weird. In the years between Nonna's death and Tony's arrest, he was wrapped up in his own problems, never paying much attention to Johnny. Was he trying to make up for lost time?

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a while until Van retuned with two plates of Tirmisu. Johnny knew what this was. He had it at Nonn's funeral. Back then, he didn't like it because it had coffee in it. But Johnny liked it this time, probably because his taste buds had matured.

After dinner, Tony took Johnny into the kitchen to see the family. These people didn't feel like family to Johnny but he didn't want to seem rude, so he said nothing about that.

He was introduced to his Uncle Pasquale, his Aunt Tessa and Van's fiancee, Renata. Uncle Sergio, Aunt Charmaine, their sons Gino and Frankie and daughter Tania were working at the other restaurant.

If Van hadn't introduced Renata as his fiancee, Johnny would have assumed she was another cousin. She looked that much like the rest of the DiMarcos.

Tessa introduced herself as Tessa Campanelli DiMarco. Johnny was surprised to see that she was blonde.

"Tony tells me you go to Degrassi," she said. "I went there back in the day before they rebuilt it." Johnny nodded.

"Looks like you and I are the only two blonde DiMarcos," she giggled.

"Are you 100% Italian?" Johnny blurted out.

"I sure am," she answered. "My Parents are from Padua. That's in the Northeast. Lots of blondes there."

Giovanni and Sofia were from Bari, which was somewhere in Italy's boot heel. Lots of dark haired people there.

"Well, I'm only half Italian," said Johnny. "My mom's from Krakow, Poland. She's who I get my blonde hair from." His tone had a slight bitterness to it.

A hush fell about the kitchen as Johnny's extended family exchanged looks.

"Yes, I remember her from Sofia's funeral," said Tessa sympathetically, breaking the awkward silence. "So sorry to hear she passed away."

_So they know she died? _thought Johnny bitterly. _How nice of them to care._

"Look," said Johnny. " It was nice meeting all of you but I really have to go. School tomorrow." He turned around and stormed out of the kitchen and through the front door. He picked up his pace as he walked toward the bus stop. His walk soon broke into a run.

"John!" Tony's voice called behind him. "John, wait!"

Johnny stopped and turned around to face his father.

"What is wrong with you?" demanded Tony. "Things were going so well and then you disrespect your family?"

"What's wrong with me?" challenged Johnny. "You're the one putting on a show, acting like the DiMarcos have always been one big happy family."

"It was awkward, I know," said Tony. "But those people in there care about you, John."

"Just like they care about you?" laughed Johnny bitterly. "Hiding in the back washing dishes like a good little black sheep."

"At least I get to come out from the kitchen once in a while at my job," he continued. "And the people I work with are my friends, not some family members who feel sorry for me. So Tony, how did they find out my mom died?"

"I told them last week," said Tony, defending himself. "They wondered why I was living at Jose's and not with you and her. I told them what happened."

"I bet they're happy she's gone," Johnny snapped.

"No, they're not," Tony snapped back. "They truly feel bad for our loss."

"_Our_ loss?" shouted Johnny, tears forming in his eyes. "You weren't even there when she died. So much crap happened since you were put away that you never had to deal with. How convenient for you, eh?"

A tear rolled down Johnny's cheek. He wiped it away.

"Seriously," he said, sniffling. "I really do have to go. I'm on probation for being an accessory to a murder. I got four more years before it's lifted. But until then, if the cops catch me doing something illegal like violating curfew. I'm going to jail. Some place where I don't want to be."

Tony just stood there looking at his son and said nothing. Johnny turned back around and walked to the bus stop.

When Johnny arrived home, Eddie came out of his office.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"Don't ask," said Johnny. Judging from the look on Johnny's face, Eddie knew better than to push the issue.

When Johnny entered his room, KC was already asleep. He was relieved that he didn't have to tell KC what happened.

He dressed down to his boxers and t-shirt and crawled into bed.

He stared at the ceiling until he fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome back, Kari! Your reviews are always encouraging. **

**Chapter 4**

Johnny's sleep was interrupted by conversations in his head. Conversations that took place in his past. He remembered eavesdropping on arguments between his dad and his grandma as well as between his dad and his mom.

Whenever Nonna Sofia used to drop by, she would start with Tony and their arguments were always the same.

_Ma, you could at least say hello to Halina. It wouldn't hurt._

_I won't speak to that girl, Tony, I don't like her. She's a foreigner._

_Foreigner? Mama, you and Papa may have lived in this country for 40 years but your accents are still thick enough to cut with a knife!_

_But we're not stupid like that Polack is. _

_How can you say that about my wife? You don't even know her._

_I know that she was stupid enough to get pregnant before the wedding. A child is not supposed to witness his parents' wedding._

While Johnny didn't actually witness his parents getting married, he was at the wedding in a sense. Halina was four months pregnant with Johnny when she and Tony were married in the courthouse.

The arguing would continue. Sofia would then get on Tony's case about being a poor musician living in The Rows. She would remind him again that if he had only gone into the family business, things would've been so much better for him.

Tony would then ask his mother to leave and she would do so in an angry huff, not to return until the next special occasion.

Johnny was around nine when the arguments between his parents began. This was back when his mom's friend, Magda, would take care of him at night until his parents came to get him. The short walk next door would be peaceful, but soon after Johnny was tucked into bed, the shouting started.

_You were late picking me up from the club again, Tony!_

_I told you, Halina, rehearsal ran late!_

_Last week, the gig ran late. What excuse will you use next?_

_It's not an excuse!_

_We'll see about that. I'm calling Jose._

_Don't call him now, it's the middle of the night!_

_Then tell me her name! _

_Whose name?_

_The bitch you're seeing behind my back!_

_Halina, there's no one else but you. I love you._

That last comment would be followed by the sound of a pillow being thrown.

_You're sleeping on the sofa tonight!_

The next morning, when Johnny would come downstairs for breakfast, his mother would tell him not to disturb his father.

During the drive to school the next day, KC tried to engage Johnny in conversation But Johnny was not in the mood.

"So how did it go last night with your dad?" asked KC. "I bet you were glad to see him."

"I was at first," Johnny replied. "I was hoping he'd changed, but he hasn't changed a bit. He's still a jerk."

"What happened?"

"Just a lot of bull, KC. I don't want to talk about it."

After school, when Johnny got to work, Spinner was also curious as to how the meeting went.

"Horribly," replied Johnny when Spinner asked. Spinner followed Johnny into the kitchen.

"Why's that?" asked Spinner.

"He's a phony just like the rest of the DiMarcos," Johnny said as he hung up his jacket.

"Except you, of course?" joked Spinner.

"I may have the same last name and the same DNA as them, but they have never been family to me, Spin."

Spinner knew about the strained relationship Johnny had with his rich extended family but not in detail.

"I don't get it. What did they do that was so wrong?"

"They acted real nice to my face, gave me free food, and then told me how sorry they were that my mom was dead."

"Maybe they really are sorry, Johnny."

"You don't get it, Spin. They didn't even know she died until my dad got out of jail and came crawling back to them. They never liked my mom."

"Why not?"

"Because she wasn't a good Italian girl, because she was poor and because she was a waitress in a bar."

Johnny scoffed at the irony of it all. Giovanni and Sofia were poor when they first came to this country. Even though their restaurant business is now booming, most of the DiMarco women still work as waitresses or hostesses in establishments that serve alcohol.

"Well, if you're willing to put your personal issues on the back burner, I got some tables that need clearing,"said Spinner.

"I'm on it,"said Johnny as he put on his apron and walked out into the dining area.

By Friday morning, Johnny was feeling a little less resentful toward his father. That was until people brought up the issue again.

"Dude, so are you gonna move in with your dad?" asked Bruce when he visited Johnny at his locker.

"No Bruce, I'm not," snapped Johnny.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not, okay Bruce?" Johnny slammed his locker shut and walked to his first class.

"Hi, Johnny," Alli said as she stopped at his table during lunch. "I never got to hear how it went with your dad Wednesday night."

"You really don't want to know."

"Why not?"

"Because you just don't, Alli," he assured her. "You wouldn't understand, anyway."

"Fine, Johnny," she sniffed. "Close yourself like you always do. I only asked you a simple question, God!" She then turned and walked off.

On Wednesday and Friday nights, the group home held group counseling sessions. All residents were expected to attend at least one session. Johnny didn't attend Wednesday's session because he had dinner with his father. Family visits were one reason a resident was allowed to skip. Other reasons were work or school activities or other constructive activities such as Johnny's band practices and gigs.

Johnny entered the TV room and was surprised to see that all the residents were there. Usually on Fridays, only a few showed up. He sat in his usual spot on the floor in front of the sofa right next to KC.

"Hey KC," said Johnny. KC looked away. He was still mad at Johnny for snapping at him the day before.

"Okay, let's get started," said Todd, the counselor who always led the session. "Who wants to go first?"

"Why doesn't Johnny go first?" said KC. "Go ahead, Johnny, tell everyone how it went with your dad?"

Johnny couldn't believe KC was calling him out like this in front of everybody.

"Because there's nothing to tell, KC," Johnny said defensively.

"Johnny, you've been biting people's heads off for two days straight," said KC. "I saw how rude you were to Alli today in the caf. It might do you some good to just vent, ya know?" Johnny took a deep breath.

"Fine," he said. "Dinner with my dad was awkward and uncomfortable, okay?"

"Well that's to be expected," said Todd. "A lot has happened since you saw each other last."

"That's just it," Johnny said bitterly. "He barely acknowledges my mom's death and he has no idea what she and I went through. It's like he's trying to sweep everything under the rug and act like nothing ever happened."

"Maybe it's hard for him to talk about," said Todd.

"You don't get it, Todd," said Johnny, almost shouting. "The reason he went to jail in the first place is selfishness. He was looking to score some dope and wasn't even thinking about his wife and kid until he got arrested."

"As far as drug charges go, possession is pretty light, Johnny," said KC. "Believe me, I know." Johnny looked over at KC.

"How do you know?" he asked. All Johnny really knew about KC was that his real name was Kenneth Charles and that he used to live in Johnny's neighborhood. He knew that KC's parents were both serving life sentences for drug related charges, but KC wouldn't say exactly what those charges were.

"My parents manufactured and sold crystal meth," KC began. "They would buy large quantities of cold medicine or they would steal it. Sometimes they would make me and my little sister, Kayla go steal it since we were kids and nothing too bad would happen to us." Tears welled up in KC's eyes and he sniffled. This was the first time Johnny heard him talk about having siblings.

"They had a meth lab set up in the kitchen. We couldn't even use the stove to cook food on. We either used the microwave or ate take out." KC took a deep breath and continued. "Anyway, to make a long story short, one day when they were cooking up a fresh supply, there was an explosion. I don't know all the details beause I was at school when it happened. They must have forgotten that Kayla was in the living room watching TV. They got themselves out but she was still inside. A neighbor called 911 and as soon as the firemen arrived, my mom suddenly remembers Kayla's in the house. She died in the hospital from severe burns and inhaling toxic fumes. She was only five years old."

A tear rolled down his cheek and he wiped it away. Johnny remembered hearing about that incident on the news. He was in grade 8 at the time. It happened shortly before Tony's arrest.

Johnny put his hand on KC's shoulder but KC shrugged it away.

"At least your dad is out of jail and he never killed anyone," said KC, glaring at Johnny.

"Your dad at least sounds like he's trying to make up for what he did," said Cory Lopez, who was sitting on the armrest of the sofa. "My parents want nothing to do with me. They kicked me out when I was fifteen because I told them I'm gay."

Cory was a thin Latino boy about Johnny's age who always seemed to be in a good mood. This was the first time he ever mentioned his parents. He went on to talk about how he lived in the streets for two years, engaging in prostitution to survive. He had been badly beaten by a client and sent to the hospital. The hospital social worker made arrangements for him to go to Covington House when he was released and he'd been living there for almost a year.

Soon confessions were coming out of the woodwork. Residents reminded Johnny of how lucky he was compared to them. They told stories of being physically and sexually abused as little kids or being left alone for days at a time. Some came from upper middle class families with workaholic parents who neglected them. But no matter how bad these stories sounded, Johnny was still angry with his father.

"Why don't you cut the dude some slack?" called a voice over the babble. Everyone turned to see who spoke. It was Jerard, a tall black boy who always stood by the door and hardly ever said anything.

"My mom was an addict too," he said. "I was raised by my grandmother. Every time my mom got clean, she would come visit and talk about how she wanted to be my mom again. Then Granny would kick her out and Mom would be back on the streets turning tricks and using drugs again. She's clean for good now and I've finally forgiven her, but it took a while. So, if Johnny's not ready to forgive his father, so be it,"

"Thanks man," Johnny said to Jerard.

"No problem," replied Jerard.

The session ended soon afterward and the residents filed out of the room. Johnny and KC were the last two left in the room.

"Look KC," said Johnny. "I'm sorry I called you out like that."

"It's okay," he replied. "I shouldn't have jumped on you like I did. Everyone's got their issues." The two boys shook hands.

Again, Johnny had a hard time falling asleep. His knack for messing things up for himself had gotten the better of him. His dad really was trying to make amends and Johnny just brushed him off.

But now, he was ready to forgive his dad.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you Kari and Greg for your reviews. If anyone wants to read some good Johnny fics, be sure to read Greg's fic "The Girl Who Sold the World" and "Who You Are'.**

**Victory Records is a real label. I do not own Victory Records.**

**PublicView is a fictional version of YouTube.**

**Chapter 5**

Johnny woke up earlier than usual the next morning. He wanted to get to The Grace Note right when they opened so he could talk to his dad before he got too busy.

"Hey Juntio, what's up?" greeted Jose as Johnny walked in.

"Hey Jose," replied Johnny. "Is my dad here?"

"Not yet, but he should be here soon." Just then, the door opened and Johnny turned around to see his dad come in.

"John," he said nervously. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Dad, can we talk?"

Tony led Johnny to the back of the store into a small break room. Jose had already started a pot of coffee.

"You want some coffee?" asked Tony.

"Sure," said Johnny nodding. "I take mine black." Tony smiled as he poured two cups of black coffee.

"That's how I take mine too," he said. Johnny smiled back. They took seats across from each other at the small table.

"Look dad," Johnny began. "I'm really sorry about they way I acted on Wednesday night."

"It's okay, son," said Tony. "I guess we should have arranged to meet somewhere else. I should have known it would be awkward for you to be around the family when you hardly know them."

"Still," insisted Johnny. "That was no reason for me to act like such an ungrateful jerk."

"You're protective of your mom, I understand," said Tony. "But you know, they're not the ones who had a problem with her. It was all my parents' doing. They were just too scared to go against them. Because you know, Giovanni DiMarco's word is law."

Johnny couldn't argue with that statement. To hear his dad tell it, Nonno Giovanni was the biggest prick in all of Toronto. He ruled his business and his family with an iron fist. Tony was the only one who had the guts to defy him.

"Fair enough," said Johnny. "Look dad, I mentioned something that night that may need some explanation."

"I know about what Drake did, John," said Tony. "It was all over the news and your mom called to tell me how the trial went. I was relieved that were put on probation. I was afraid you might become my cell mate or something."

Johnny and Tony chuckled nervously. It hadn't occurred to Johnny that, despite being locked up, Tony would have access to TV and newspapers. And he never knew that his mom had called Tony after the sentencing.

"Did you ever see Drake?" asked Johnny. "In prison, I mean."

"No, he was put on one of the upper tiers reserved for violent offenders," explained Tony. "Speaking of jail, Johnny, I got clean while I was there. I'm seeing a drug counselor once a week to make sure I stay clean."

"That's great, Dad," said Johnny. He did notice that Tony no longer looked pale and sickly like he used to.

"There's another thing I didn't get a chance to tell you that night," said Tony.

"What's that?"

"Your Uncle Wally owns the building that Pasquale's is in and he offered to let me live in the apartment directly above the restaurant."

Johnny had an idea as to where this conversation was headed, but he wasn't exactly sure.

"What I'm trying to say John, is that I can't stay at Jose's forever. His apartment only has one bedroom and I sleep on the sofa. The other place has two bedrooms but it's too big fore just one person."

"And you want me to move in with you," said Johnny.

"Yeah."

Despite the fact that his friends kept asking if he was going to live with Tony, Johnny really hadn't given it much thought. It made sense. After all, Tony was his father. But Johnny had been living without his father for nearly five years and he wasn't used to having a father again.

"I hope you don't mind that I'm not ready to make that decision yet,"said Johnny.

"That's fine," said Tony. "I understand you need some time, just don't take too long to decide, okay?"

"How soon do you need an answer?"

"By next week, if possible."

"Hey Dad, speaking of next week. The battle of the bands is next Saturday and I want to invite you to come see Tempting Fate play."

"Is that what you call yourselves?" mused Tony. "Kinda mysterious, I like it. Sure beats Whiskey River."

"Yeah, how did you guys come up with that name anyway?" asked Johnny.

"I think Rory made it up one night when we were all drunk at a party," laughed Tony. Rory Keller was the lead guitarist and singer of the band. He was now living in Vancouver and trying to start a new band. Johnny thought he was a funny guy but a bit weird.

"Ooh, you guys were such rebels back in the day," teased Johnny.

"Well, us Catholic school boys have a wild streak too ya know," said Tony.

"Yeah Dad, I know," said Johnny. "I was a Catholic school boy too, remember?" An awkward silence fell between them.

Tony knew that Johnny was supposed to attend the same Catholic high school that he did but that his scholarship was rescinded when Tony was arrested. Halina had told him this the first time she and Johnny visited him in jail.

The two stared at each other before Tony looked away.

"Look," he said to Johnny. "I know I wasn't as good a father to you as I should have been. But I want to make it up to you. I want to be your dad again."

"Okay," said Johnny. "It would be nice to have a father again." Actually, it had been longer than four and a half years since Tony had been a real father to Johnny. He had checked out shortly after Johnny's grandmother pass away.

"I gotta go," said Johnny, standing up. "Gotta get ready for work. Can you come see us play next Saturday?"

"I'll be there," said Tony. He stood up and walked over to Johnny, they shook hands. As Johnny left the store, he said goodbye to Jose on his way out.

When Johnny arrived home, it was unusually quiet for a Saturday afternoon. When he passed the TV room, he saw Jerard sitting on the sofa watching a basketball game.

"Dude, what's up?" said Johnny. Jerard looked over at Johnny. "Where is everybody?"

"Hey man," replied Jerard. "I don't know where everyone is and I really don't care. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet." Both boys laughed. They were the two oldest residents at Covington House and the younger boys often got on their nerves.

Johnny came into the room and sat down next to Jerard.

"I saw my dad today," said Johnny.

"Yeah? How'd that go?" asked Jerard.

"All right," said Johnny. "I forgave him, sorta. It felt weird."

"I know that feeling," said Jerard.

"Jerard, I just wanna say thanks for having my back last night. For telling me that it was okay to be mad at him."

"No problem, Johnny. I've been there. Having people tell me not to feel what I feel. People claiming to know what I'm going through. My grandma taught me to be mad at my mother, to hate her even, but she's still my mom."

"Yeah, there's nothing like other people telling you what to think and feel. I hate that," said Johnny.

"I just hope you didn't let those little douche bags influence you too much."

"They did a little, I guess. But I decided to forgive him mostly because I know I have a tendency to...what does Todd say all the time?... sabotage myself. I really was a jerk to him when we had dinner"

The boys laughed.

"I think we all sabotage ourselves a little," said Jerard, smiling. Johnny stood up.

"I gotta get ready for work," he said. "Enjoy your game.

"Sure," said Jerard. "Later, man."

During his break at work, Johnny had a conversation with Spinner.

"My dad wants me to move in wit him," said Johnny.

"You seem unsure," said Spinner.

"Spin, my dad checked out years before he got arrested," said Johnny. "After my grandmother died, he became distant. Making promises and failing to keep them. Sneaking around. Lying. It took a while, but my mom and I finally found out he had a drug problem. Of course I want to live with him, he's my dad. But he's like a stranger, you know?"

"No, Johnny," said Spinner. "I can't say that I do." Johnny gave him a look.

"My dad died a few years back," he said "We had a great relationship before he passed. I still miss him and I wish he was still here."

"Yeah, I feel the same way about my mom," Johnny said.

"What I'm trying to say, dude," said Spinner. "Is that now with your mom gone, your dad's all you got. Don't you think it's time to bury the hatchet?"

"Oh I forgave him. Especially since he says he got clean in prison," said Johnny. "I'm just not sure what step to take next."

"Well forgiving him is an important step," said Spinner. Johnny nodded. Both Johnny and Spinner understood the importance of forgiveness.

"Well," said Johnny. "I gotta get back to work. Those dishes ain't gonna wash themselves.

"Okay," said Spinner. "Hopefully you'll figure out the next step soon."

When Johnny got home, he got ready for bed and went right to sleep. He was tired from thinking so much. He would have to consider his next step with his dad on another day .

It was a relief that Johnny's friends stopped bugging him about his dad when Johnny got back to school on Monday. The only people who even knew where his dad had been were Bruce, KC, Alli and Jane. And Alli wasn't speaking to him since he snapped at her in the caf the week before.

But when Johnny showed up for band rehearsal on Monday, Danny and Sav were eager to know if the infamous Bullet would make an appearance at the battle of the bands.

The official name of this battle of the bands was the Purple Dragon Local Band Throwdown. It was a promotional event in preparation for the Purple Dragon Slay Me! tour that was taking place this summer.

The tour showcased some of the best rock, alternative and heavy metal bands in the US and Canada. For the past six months, a battle of the bands was being held in every major US and Canadian city where the tour would be making a stop. The winning band in each city would then open the main stage in their city, get their own channel on PublicView, the popular video sharing channel and a record contract with Victory Records.

They all knew that Jose Chavez, the former bass player for Whiskey River, would be one of the judges when they registered online two weeks ago. But Danny and Sav decided to pick that day to grill Johnny about his dad.

"So, is he gonna make an appearance?" asked Sav excitedly.

"Yeah," said Danny. "I wanna meet the Bullet."

_Are these guys kidding?_ thought Johnny. Two months ago, they didn't even know who Tony "Bullet" DiMarco was.

"I invited him," said Johnny. "But he's not sure if he can make it." Although, Tony said he'd be there, Johnny didn't want to take anything for granted.

"But at least we get to see Jose," said Sav. "He played bass for Whiskey River."

"Cool," said Danny.

"The only reason Jose's a judge is because he owns The Grace Note, which is a local sponsor of the contest and the Toronto spot on the tour," said Spinner, who was now the band's manager.

"Yeah," said Johnny. "The fact that he was in a local band is just a coincidence. So are we gonna practice or what?"

"Yes," said Jane, desperate to brek the awkwardness. "We got a lot of work to do."

According to the contest rules, each band was to perform two song, one slow song and one uptempo song. Tempting Fate had their work cut out for them.

Especially since Johnny wanted Tony to come see him play. His band mates may have wanted to win the contest but Johnny wasn't as interested in winning. What he was more interested in now was having Tony "Bullet" DiMarco see that putting his son Johnny behind a drum kit at the age of three had really paid off.

**Sorry it took so long for me to update. I was busy this week and I had writer's block. **


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